Swaroop Sampat Rawal: ‘Aditya Dhar Is Responsible For My Grey Hair’ (EXCLUSIVE)

When asked to name films she has watched recently, the effusive Swaroop Sampat Rawal says she cannot recall anything except “‘Dhurandhar,’ ‘Dhurandhar’ and ‘Dhurandhar’”! Raving about the film's writer-producer-director Aditya Dhar, she tells Variety India, “This is not just because of what he is, but because he is the coolest person to work with.”

She continues, “During the planning of 'Uri: The Surgical Strike' (2019), my husband Paresh and my son Aditya would meet up with Aditya Dhar because they knew him very well. And would talk incessantly about the film. Obviously, the talk would come home, too.”

Dhar and Rawal were first acquainted when the former was assisting director Priyadarshan and co-writing “Aakrosh” (2010). Later, Paresh Rawal was cast as Govind Bhardwaj (based on National Security Advisor Ajit Doval) in “Uri: The Surgical Strike."

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Recalls Sampat, “One day, Aditya (Dhar) called me. I was returning from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) office to my hotel in Delhi, and Dhar said, ‘Ma’am, I have a role for you.’ So, I just said, ‘Aditya, I am doing it!’ He says, ‘But you haven’t heard the story!’  I replied, ‘I don’t care! I am doing it!’ He persisted, ‘Why, ma’am?’ I told him, 'In my house, all the time they are talking about ‘Uri…’. So, I am doing your film, okay.'”

Dhar then came to the Rawal home and gave the actress a narration and requested her, ‘Ma’am, don’t color your hair if you don’t mind!’ and Sampat agreed. “Okay. So, he is responsible for this,” says Sampat, pointing to her gray tresses.

Sampat adds that though it was a small role (of hero Vicky Kaushal’s mother), she loved doing it. “Aditya Dhar is such a pleasure to work with!” she adds. “He is so calm and so comfortable [to work with]. He knows his job.”

And so, when we ask Sampat what she would love to do next, she answers, “What I would love [to do, next] is a film, especially a film! We can shoot it once and finish it off with it! One features all four of us: Paresh, my sons Aniruddh and Aditya and me; not necessarily as a family. And I can only think of Aditya Dhar directing all of us together!”